Campsites in Isère
There are more than 100 campsites in Isère that welcome you throughout the department to visit the natural parks or to ski in its winter sports resorts. To help you choose, here are a few campsites from our selection: La Cascade campsite **** in Bourg-d'Oisans is situated on the banks of a river and offers 18 chalets to rent as well as an open-air swimming pool, evening entertainment and shows in season. Les Buissonnets *** in Autrans-Méaudre-en-Vercors is located in the middle of the Vercors Regional Nature Park and offers comfortable mobile homes in summer and winter, a playground, a volleyball and petanque court and a bicycle and ski room. Ideal Campsite *** in Allevard is located at the foot of the Belledonne Massif. It is a friendly family campsite where you can spend pleasant holidays with your family while discovering the pleasures of nature, and a municipal swimming pool is available 100 metres from the campsite.
Cities with a rich historical heritage
Grenoble, the capital of the Alps
The city of Grenoble became part of France in 1349 and was formerly the capital of the Dauphiné. It became a province of the kingdom of France and a powerful military city. Today it is the capital of the department and is classified as a city of art and culture. Its old town is rich in old private mansions, picturesque houses and shopping streets. From the Bastille fort, which dominates the town at an altitude of 475 metres, you can enjoy an exceptional panoramic view of the mountains, the Chartreuse and Vercors massifs, the Belledonne mountain range and the town of Grenoble of course, an experience to be tried if possible at sunset for even more beauty. While strolling through the city, you should venture towards the pedestrian square of Saint-André and soak up its atmosphere with its superb Gothic and Renaissance facades of the former palace of the Parliament of Dauphiné.
Vienna, City of Art and History
The impressive temple of Augustus and Livia dating from the 1st century BC, the Cybele garden and its Gallo-Roman ruins, one of the largest ancient theatres from the 1st century AD, are all testimonies to the beautiful historical heritage of the city of Vienne, whose oldest monuments date back to Antiquity. The walk also leads to the discovery of a rich medieval past with the 12th century Romanesque-Gothic cathedral of Saint-Maurice and the church of Saint-André-le-Bas with its sumptuous cloister. To admire a superb view of the roofs of the city and the Rhône valley, you should climb to the top of Mount Pipet. Finally, the city of Vienne offers a music festival every year in July, not to be missed if you like jazz!
Winter sports resorts
Les Deux-Alpes, the first day pass
Created in 1930, the winter sports resort of Les Deux-Alpes is located in the Ecrins massif and was developed in the 1950s. It is located 70 km from Grenoble and has many sports facilities. It offers 227 km of ski runs and is famous for its entertainment and atmosphere. With a glacier that rises to 3600 metres you can ski in the summer and enjoy summer activities such as paragliding, hiking, climbing and mountain biking.
Alpe d'Huez, the Sun Island
Opened in the early 1920s and famous for many years, it hosted the bobsleigh events at the 1968 Olympic Games. Situated at 1860 metres above sea level, it is very popular for its sunny location, hence its nickname of "l'Île au Soleil", its good snow cover and its Sarenne piste, which is 16 km long and is one of the longest in the world! The resort of Alpe D'Huez also appeals for its outdoor ice rink, its après-ski entertainment and its ski nights. Also a climatic resort, it offers many activities in summer such as mountain biking, climbing and via ferrata.
Regional Nature Parks
The Vercors Regional Natural Park, impressive natural landscapes
Composed of 8 natural regions, the Vercors Regional Nature Park covers more than 206,000 hectares and extends over the departments of Isère and Drôme. Created in 1970, it reaches an altitude of 2,341 metres. It is a witness to a remarkable natural heritage thanks to its green valleys, forests and mountain pastures, its great limestone cliffs, caves, chasms and deep gorges. Its exceptional biodiversity makes it a unique territory with a great diversity of animals, including several species of reptiles and amphibians, mammals (roe deer, ibex, chamois, etc.) and breeding birds. The park is also home to the Hauts Plateaux reserve, the largest terrestrial reserve in mainland France, with an impressive flora of 75 orchid species and 85 plant species. Several hiking trails are available to discover this extraordinary nature.
Pont-en-Royans is a picturesque village which it would be a shame not to visit when discovering the Vercors Regional Nature Park. Its colourful houses suspended above the river (the Bourne) make it a singular and particularly charming place.
Choose a campsite in the Vercors.
The Chartreuse Regional Nature Park, sport in the heart of nature, summer and winter
Much less impressive than the Vercors Regional Nature Park, but just as beautiful, the Chartreuse Regional Nature Park covers an area of 69,000 hectares and is made up of mountainous terrain, limestone cliffs, gorges, forests and mountain pastures. The Olympian calm of the Grande Chartreuse monastery is extremely seductive, as is the belvedere of the Sangles or the cirque of Saint-Même, the Charmant Som will offer you a magnificent view. In terms of activities, sportsmen will be happy in summer with climbing, hiking and mountain biking as well as in winter with Nordic and alpine skiing or snowshoeing, all offered by the family resort of Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse.
The Ecrins Regional Nature Park, the second most important mountaineering site in France
The Ecrins National Park, located between the Isère and Hautes-Alpes regions, covers 91,800 hectares and will delight all those who like to explore the flora and fauna during their family holidays. They may be lucky enough to see foxes, golden eagles, marmots or chamois but also edelweiss, gentian and blue thistle. Sports enthusiasts will appreciate the 740 km of signposted paths which allow them to admire the treasures of this natural heritage. Exhibitions and all the necessary information on the Ecrins massif are available at the Maison du Parc in the commune of Bourg-d'Oisans.
Lakes
The four lakes of Laffrey are located in the Taillefer massif and are part of the Isère landscape. Ideal for cooling off during the increasingly hot periods, some of them have equipped beaches and all the necessary equipment for water sports such as pedal boats and sailing. The large lake of Laffrey is particularly suitable for windsurfing thanks to its windy climate. Of glacial origin, and of elongated shape, its surface area is 120 hectares, or about three kilometres. The lake is often frozen in winter and can exceed 20° in summer. Lac Mort is the smallest of the four and is also of glacial origin. It is located at the foot of the Taillefer massif and has the particularity of having been raised by a dam in 1916. Swimming is forbidden, but in the summer it is very pleasant to go for walks to enjoy the magnificent views of the landscape. The Pierre-Châtel and Pétichet lakes are privately owned and are not of interest to tourists as all recreational craft are strictly forbidden. Finally, regulated fishing is allowed in the Pétichet lake.